Pakistan to get consular access to Sanaullah Ranjay

Ministry of External Affairs regretted attack on prisoner, said
the guilty would be punished

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PTI

New Delhi

May 3, 2013

UPDATED: May 3, 2013 15:38 IST

Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu where Sanaullah was attacked.

Terming as "regrettable"
the incident in which a Pakistani prisoner was injured in a Jammu
jail during an altercation with another inmate, India on Friday said the matter was
being investigated and the guilty will be punished.

The Ministry of External Affairs said
the injured was receiving the medical treatment and once the medical
arrangements were in place, consular access will be provided.

"We are aware of the
regrettable incident involving a Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay who was
injured today during an altercation with another inmate of the jail in Jammu.

"The matter is being
investigated and the guilty will be punished. Safety and security of prisoners
in custody lies with the jail authorities and the necessary action is being
taken.

"We are in touch with the
Pakistan High Commission on the matter. The injured is receiving the medical
treatment and once the medical arrangements are in place, the consular access
will be provided," the spokesperson in the ministry said.

He also said in view of these tragic
incidents, which included killing of two Indian prisoners in a Pakistani jail
and that involving a Pakistani prisoner in a jail in Jammu, there is a need to take stock of the
current measures in place to ensure safety, security and humane treatment of
Indian and Pakistani prisoners in each other's jails.

"For this, we are proposing a
meeting of the concerned authorities of both countries to study the
recommendations and identify and put in place further measures to avoid such
tragic incidents in future," he said.

He also noted that India had recently requested the joint Judicial
Committee to visit jails in Pakistan.

This was Committee's sixth meeting
and they have made some recommendations.

There are nearly 535 Indian
prisoners (including 483 fishermen) in Pakistani jails and a total of 270
Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.

Talking to reporters outside
Parliament House, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the matter was being
investigated.

"This incident has taken place
between 8 and 8.30 in the morning....There was an attack on a Pakistani inmate
in Jammu jail.
The inquiry is being conducted," Shinde said.

New and Renewable Energy Minister
Farooq Abdullah said the incident should be investigated properly.

"Pakistan should first look within.
How can they accuse us? Pakistan
prisoners are given the best medical aid. This incident needs to properly
investigated," he said.

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